The Amazing Benefits of Microneedling

What is microneedling and how does it affect your skin? This article outlines all the amazing benefits of getting this procedure done.

Are you starting to notice crow’s feet on the sides of your eyes? Or maybe a little more sagginess in your cheeks than usual?

The aging process can be rough on your appearance, but it doesn’t have to be.

If you’re tired of slathering your body in anti-aging creams and chugging detox teas all day, rest assured you won’t have to anymore. Microneedling is the treatment for you. So, say goodbye to fine lines, wrinkles, and saggy skin!

Interested? Keep reading to learn all the extensive benefits this treatment has to offer and how you can get started.

What Is Microneedling?

Microneedling is the process of using tiny needles to create channels into the skin’s surface to regenerate cells and boost collagen production. It sounds crazy, but it’s actually beneficial for your skin.

As you age, your skin slowly decreases the amount of collagen and elastin it produces. These two components of your skin are responsible for the plump, youthful skin that everyone wants.

At around age 30, we start to develop finer lines, wrinkles, sun spots, and hyperpigmentation because we’re missing the collagen and elastin.

This is where microneedling comes into play.

How It Works

This treatment stimulates your body’s healing process by creating lots of tiny channels. To heal itself, your skin replaces damaged cells with new ones and produces collagen and elastin.

The needles are usually between 1 mm and 2 mm long and are attached to a device/pen that inserts the needles into the skin you’re targeting.

It sounds painful, but at most it can be a little uncomfortable. Doctors will usually apply a numbing cream to the patient’s face to prevent any discomfort.

Here are some examples of the benefits you can experience:

Banishes Wrinkles & Fine Lines

The number one reason people use this treatment is that they want to prevent fine lines or address wrinkles that have already developed.

As you age, your skin begins to sag and get wrinkled because the collagen and elastin production decreases. This occurs not only on your face but on your whole body.

Through microneedling, the needles create hundreds of little channels considered to be wounds. To heal these “wounds”, the skin generates new skin cells and produces more collagen and elastin.

The Results of Increased Collagen & Elastin

Increasing collagen will plump up the skin, filling in the fine lines with new skin. The increase in elastin results in tighter, firmer skin with less sag.

Microneedling is a multi-session treatment that will show improvements in fine lines and wrinkles after the first session. Most patients return monthly or every few weeks for further sessions to maintain their skin. Some do this in combination with other treatments that address wrinkles.

Improves Hyperpigmentation

Due to your age, health, and lifestyle, your skin is vulnerable to damage that can result in dark spots and uneven coloring, which is also called hyperpigmentation. The scientific cause of hyperpigmentation is an overproduction of melanin in those areas.

Several factors can increase melanin production, also known as melasma.

These factors include certain medications, chemotherapy drugs, hormone changes during pregnancy, endocrine diseases, and excess sun exposure. The results are dark spots or uneven coloring on the skin.

How It Improves Hyperpigmentation

Microneedling improves Hyperpigmentationn by forcing a turnover of skin cells. The healing process spurred by needling causes old, hyperpigmented cells to fall off and new cells to replace them.

For those on certain medications or suffering from a disease that causes hyperpigmentation, microneedling is an great option to consider for improving or managing hyperpigmentation.

It’s also a way for patients with hyperpigmentation from sun exposure to start fresh and begin taking better care of their skin.

Treats Acne Scarring
Acne can leave a slew of pockmarks, discoloration, and scarring that are incredibly hard to remove with at-home creams. If you suffered from acne in your youth and are still paying for it as you age, you don’t have to anymore.

The process works by wounding the skin. That way, it regenerates new cells in the healing process. These new cells are free from acne scarring.

In one study, 100% of the participants cited a visible improvement in their acne scarring after a series of treatments. With continued treatments, the scarring is completely replaced by healthy new cells.

Treating Severe Scarring

Depending on how severe the scarring is, you may require mild treatments every few weeks, or deeper treatments with longer needles every 4-6 weeks. Pockmarks, the severe indentations from acne, are the hardest to treat and require deeper treatment.

Microneedling is also beneficial for scarring (not caused by acne) that requires stitching. These scars are usually in need of a deeper treatment, but it all depends on how damaged the skin is.

Reduces Pore Size

Microneedling can “shrink pores” and reduce the number of blackheads on your skin, as a result.

Through the healing of the tiny wounds from the needles, collagen is reproduced and sent to all the wounded areas. Since collagen plumps the skin up and gives it a youthful bounce, the walls of your pores swell and plump up. It creates the illusion of smaller pores when in reality they’re just pumped full of new collagen.

When your pores have less space to trap oil, there will be fewer blackheads and oil buildups. The overall appearance of your skin looks cleaner with less noticeable pores.

Better Product Absorption

The regeneration of new cells for your pores and the decreasing of their size will allow you to absorb your skin care products more effectively.

The various serums, masks, and creams we use in hopes of improving the quality of our skin are useless if they aren’t absorbed properly. Pores that are clogged and damaged are less able to absorb the product.

Microneedling creates new “channels” for the product to go through into deeper levels of your skin. The creation of new cells and blackhead-free pores allow your skin to absorb the serum or cream much more effectively.

Not Just for Your Face

Perhaps one of the greatest things about this treatment is that it can be done on the whole body. If you experience dry legs, microneedling will help moisturizers absorb into the skin.

If you suffer from acne scarring on your back or chest, you can use this treatment to reduce them. It’s also useful for removing sun spots from areas of the skin that get frequent exposure to rays.

Post-Treatment

After your first session of microneedling, you should expect your skin to look mildly red. 50% of the redness diminishes within the first 6 hours after treatment. The rest diminishes within 24-48 hours.

It may also feel “raw” and slightly sore. This is normal and will go away after a couple days.

Patients will notice an immediate improvement in their skin once the redness subdues. It will be clearer, smoother, and more glowing.

How to Care for Your Skin After Treatment

You should not apply any makeup for 24 hours after the treatment as your skin adjusts to the new cells.

To clean your skin those first couple days, lightly rinse it with tepid water and pat dry with a soft towel. You do not want to irritate your skin with chemicals or abrasive rubbing.

If you had microneedling done on a body part besides your face, treat it with the same gentleness and don’t shave the area for a couple days.

Once the redness and tenderness have cleared, you can wear makeup. You’ll notice that face makeup applies evenly and more consistently across the skin. You’ll also notice that your moisturizers are able to penetrate deeper into your skin.

At-Home Treatments

Various companies have created at-home tools that try to replicate the treatment you receive from your doctor or aesthetician. We don’t recommend those products. Here are some reasons why:

Medical grade microneedling, a deeper and more effective treatment, can only be performed in a medical setting.

There’s less chance of damage with a medical professional performing the treatment.

Everything is completely sterile with low to no risk of infection at a medical spa.

Professionals can assess your skin and recommend further treatment.

In the end, it’s always safer and more effective to receive treatments from a highly-trained professional.

Ready to Get Started?

Throughout our lives, our skin takes more of a hit than other organs in our body. Between acne, sun damage, and aging, it may seem impossible to reverse the damage inflicted upon our skin.